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Touchbar options completely disappeared! Touch bar too, of course!!!

Yesterday my touch bar went completely blank. I tried restarting my MacBook pro but it did not help so I tried reseting the touchbar through terminal by using the syntax skill "Touch Bar agent" and also skill ControlStrip but it just said "command not found". I tried to fix it by going to system preferences>keyboard and the touchbar options are completely gone! I also couldn't find it in zoom preferences, its like my computer was built with the touchbar strip but without the software!

MacBook Pro 15″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Sep 16, 2020 7:16 AM

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Posted on Sep 16, 2020 7:28 AM

Go to Apple Menu > About the Mac > System Report > USB and see if Touch Bar is listed there. If not, it's probably a hardware problem.


Try this:

  • Reset SMC and NVRAM
  • Restart into Save Mode (boot holding Shift) and then reboot normally and check if it came back.


If not, TB is probably dead

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12 replies

Sep 16, 2020 7:26 AM in response to Tegolo

Tegolo wrote:

Yesterday my touch bar went completely blank. I tried restarting my MacBook pro but it did not help so I tried reseting the touchbar through terminal by using the syntax skill "Touch Bar agent" and also skill ControlStrip but it just said "command not found". I tried to fix it by going to system preferences>keyboard and the touchbar options are completely gone! I also couldn't find it in zoom preferences, its like my computer was built with the touchbar strip but without the software!



Try resetting the SMC https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201295


Try resetting NVRAM/PRAM http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1379




Sep 17, 2020 4:36 AM in response to Tegolo

It might be the TB is like completely dead, leaving no trace of problems, so Diagnostics runs over it as if it never existed.

Kinda weird, I may say. Once your Mac has a TB, the test should warn you it wasn't able to find the TB, so you could be sure it's dead, huh. I don't know why it didn't, if because it thinks it's a Mac without a TB or because it doesn't do things the way it should.


Check if your Mac is covered by this program https://support.apple.com/keyboard-service-program-for-mac-notebooks. Book a visit to an Apple Store or Authorized shop and see how it goes.

If you can get a replacement, the entire lower case will be changed, leaving just your original logic board.

Sep 17, 2020 6:26 AM in response to Tegolo

Tegolo wrote:

It doesn't appear.
A question, if it's a hardware problem why the hardware test doesn't reveal any failure?
Do you think that a OS restore could be helpful ?
Thanks


Independent of the hardware test—


the way forward is take it in for service if you want the issue resolved.



In or out of warranty you can get a free over the counter 'Apple Service Diagnostics' test /assessment


Make an appointment for a "hardware issue"—

https://www.apple.com/retail/geniusbar/


Outside the USA

https://locate.apple.com/country


From iOS device using the app to make a online Genius Bar appointment is easy: 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/apple-support/id1130498044?mt=8



(note: due to the temporary closure of Apple Stores and the staggered reopening there may be some delays.

 ref: https://www.apple.com/shop/browse/store/temporary_closures )




 “Mac notebook, contact us and we'll send you a box you can use to ship it to an Apple Repair Center. We'll return your repaired product to you as quickly as possible. Depending on where you get service, you might be able to check the status of your repair online.”  Start a service request https://support.apple.com/mac/repair/service




Call Customer Support  (800) MYAPPLE (800–692–7753) 


or call  AppleCare Support at 1-800-APLCARE (800-275-2273)



Get your Mac ready for service - Apple Support   https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209095

Touchbar options completely disappeared! Touch bar too, of course!!!

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